Updates on the Fight for Quality Public Education in Brevard County, FL
0:00 Thank you.
10:29 All right, please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.
10:59 Thank you.
15:59 What’s going to look like on an elementary level.
16:29 such as the school, such as the school, such as the school, such
16:59 as the school, such as the
16:59 and the school, such as the school, such as the school, such as
17:19 the school, such as the school,
17:29 Proclamation 2024, F-18, the Hurricane Milton instructional make-up
17:34 time schedule, and F-19,
17:36 a field trip for Delora Middle School, eighth graders to
17:39 Washington, D.C. Thank you. Do I
17:42 hear a motion? Move to approve. Second. Any discussion? Call,
17:46 roll call, please.
17:47 Ms. Jenkins? Aye. Ms. Campbell? Aye. Ms. Wright? Aye. Mr. Trent?
17:51 Aye. Mr. Susan? Aye.
17:52 We are now at the administrative staff recommendations. Do I
17:57 hear a motion?
17:58 Move to approve. Second. Any discussion? Call, roll call, please.
18:02 Ms. Jenkins? Aye. Ms. Campbell? Aye. Ms. Wright? Aye. Mr. Trent?
18:07 Aye. Mr. Susan? Aye.
18:08 All right. We are now at the proclamation section of our agenda.
18:12 Dr. Rendell.
18:13 Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, today’s proclamation is the Bullying
18:16 Prevention Proclamation 2024.
18:18 Mrs. Jenkins will be reading the proclamation.
18:27 Whereas, October is designated as National Bullying Prevention
18:41 and Awareness Month.
18:42 And whereas, bullying is the aggressive use of power targeting
18:45 another person or group of people
18:47 with repeated unwanted words or action, hurting them emotionally
18:51 or physically.
18:52 And whereas, bullying occurs in neighborhoods, schools,
18:55 playgrounds, and online through technology.
18:57 And whereas, thousands of Florida children and adolescents are
19:00 affected by bullying behavior annually.
19:02 And whereas, targets of bullying are at an increased risk for
19:05 depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, absenteeism,
19:09 and are more likely to develop physical, emotional, and learning
19:12 problems.
19:13 And whereas, students who are repeatedly bullied often fear such
19:17 activities as riding a bus,
19:19 attending school, and attending community activities.
19:21 And whereas, children who witness bullying often feel less
19:24 secure, more fearful, and intimidated.
19:27 And whereas, children who are engaged in bullying behaviors are
19:30 at a greater risk of engaging in more violent behaviors.
19:33 And whereas, National Bully Prevention Month encourages parents,
19:37 students, and teachers,
19:38 and school administrators to be aware of when bullying occurs
19:41 and to work together to increase awareness about bullying and
19:44 how to prevent it.
19:44 And whereas, schools that focus on teaching kindness can reduce
19:48 bullying and have positive outcomes for students,
19:50 including a greater sense of belonging, improved self-esteem,
19:54 improved mental well-being, improved physical health,
19:57 increased feelings of gratitude, and better concentration to
20:00 improve academic achievement.
20:03 Now, therefore, be it resolved that Brevard Public School Board
20:06 supports the education of staff, parents, and students on bully
20:09 prevention and awareness.
20:11 And be it further resolved that Brevard Public School staff will
20:14 encourage a positive, safe school environment,
20:16 and help others recognize and stop bullying behaviors
20:19 immediately.
20:20 Adopted by the members of the Brevard Public School Board, Brevard
20:23 County, Florida,
20:24 at the regular board meeting thereof, held the 22nd day of
20:26 October, 2024.
20:27 Thank you, Ms. Jenkins.
20:30 Do I hear a motion?
20:31 Move to approve.
20:32 Second.
20:32 Any discussion?
20:33 Let me wait for you to get back up here before we call roll call.
20:36 Sorry.
20:36 All right.
20:49 Paul, roll call, please.
20:49 Ms. Jenkins?
20:50 Aye.
20:51 Ms. Campbell?
20:51 Aye.
20:52 Ms. Wright?
20:52 Aye.
20:53 Mr. Trent?
20:54 Aye.
20:54 Mr. Susan?
20:55 Aye.
20:57 All right.
20:58 Thank you.
20:58 All right.
21:00 We are now going to move into the presentation for today, which
21:03 is the 2024-2025 Florida Safe
21:05 Schools Assessment Tool, commonly known as the FSAT.
21:07 Report, Dr. Rendell.
21:08 Thank you, Madam Chair.
21:10 I’d like to ask Mr. Rashad Wilson and Mr. Michael Timpson to
21:12 come to the podium to present the report.
21:14 Good morning, Madam Chair, Board, Dr. Rendell.
21:21 This morning, you will be presented with the annual report of
21:26 the 24-25 Florida Assessment Tool Report.
21:31 Sharing out that data would be Mr. Michael Timpson, the district
21:36 school safety specialist.
21:38 Now, at this time, I’m going to turn it over to Mr. Timpson.
21:41 Good morning to the school board, Dr. Rendell and Mr. Wilson.
21:51 Thank you for having me here.
21:54 And I look forward to presenting our findings from the district
21:57 best practice assessment.
21:59 And good morning to the public.
22:02 So, first off, I want to say the objective.
22:04 The objective of the Brevard School Board, the district best
22:09 practice assessment, is to demonstrate
22:11 to the school board that a school security risk assessment was
22:14 completed at each school campus
22:16 by the October 1 due date as required by the Florida law and
22:19 that the findings and the recommendations
22:21 of these assessments were presented to the superintendent,
22:23 Superintendent Rendell and each member of the school board.
22:26 The summary will address the efforts of Brevard schools
22:29 regarding legislative compliance under the majority,
22:32 Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, the
22:35 recommendations of the MSD High School Public Safety
22:38 Commissions and best practices related to school safety and
22:41 security.
22:42 Furthermore, this summary identifies strategies and activities
22:45 that the district school board
22:47 should consider implementing to address the assessment findings
22:51 and improve school safety and security.
22:53 As I go to the next slide, my position as the school safety
22:58 specialist is to go to each school
23:02 and to assess each school and to make sure that they’re in
23:05 compliance with the state legislative requirements.
23:08 So that is my primary position to do here with the district.
23:11 So it’s an opportunity to serve and I greatly take that
23:14 responsibility.
23:16 So with the compliance dashboard, I want to draw your attention
23:20 to number one, the quarterly report as of 1018.
23:23 You’ll see there the numbers there.
23:27 Now, first, I want to remind you of the new House Bill 1473 that
23:32 was instituted in July 1 from the state legislature.
23:36 The new House Bill had new things in place such as ingress and egress
23:40 to and from campuses, locked, staffed or exempt gates, ingress
23:45 and egress from a school building, marking hard corners for
23:49 emergencies, annual unannounced visits to each school, and fortified
23:53 tip.
23:54 So these things are what the new House Bill implemented.
23:58 And as a result, these are some things that we were to take a
24:01 look at when we went out to the schools.
24:03 So if you take a look at the quarterly report, the number of
24:06 schools inspected, let’s take an example of the nine high
24:09 schools.
24:11 Of the nine high schools, there were 50%, 56% of the schools
24:15 that I inspected, nine of them, we had six of those schools had
24:20 no deficiencies, which represented 67% of the high schools that
24:26 had no deficiencies.
24:27 If you take a look at the middle schools, the percentage that
24:30 were inspected was 33% of all of the middle schools that we have
24:34 here in the district.
24:35 And they represented all of those were 100% of the elementary
24:40 schools, there were 23 visits that were on, there were official
24:44 visits and those represented 40% of the schools inspected.
24:48 19 of those had no deficiencies, which represented 83% of the
24:52 schools that had no deficiencies.
24:55 The charter schools, there were 10 of those that I had visited,
24:58 which represented 56%.
25:00 Six of those had no deficiencies, which represented 70%.
25:04 So in totality, you’re looking at 46 schools that I had a chance
25:09 to visit out of, these were the official visits.
25:12 I’ve done over a hundred visits to the schools throughout Brevard,
25:15 but these are the ones that are the official visit that are
25:18 reported to the state.
25:19 Those schools that were inspected represented 43% of the schools
25:24 inspected to date.
25:25 We have 106 schools in our district, 31 of those schools that I’ve
25:30 out of the 46 had no deficiencies, which represented the 67% of
25:34 the schools that had no deficiencies.
25:36 So those numbers there and on the left side of the chart, you
25:40 can take a look at some of the deficiencies that we came across.
25:43 I do want to draw your attention to one of the things that I’m
25:48 very proud of our district, the gates and doors, the yellow
25:52 where it says gates and doors, there were no gates and doors
25:56 that were left open around our campuses, which is very big with
25:59 regards to keeping the bad guys out.
26:03 In addition to that, emergency drills, we had one that we had a
26:07 date discrepancy with one of the schools, but we did very good.
26:11 We’re getting our emergency drills, critical incident, which are
26:14 the active assailant and also the fire drills.
26:16 So the schools are doing a great job of keeping up with those
26:19 things.
26:20 And so those are some of the deficiencies there that you can
26:23 take a look at the four to five Florida posters, getting those
26:27 things up hard corners that are mandated that hard corners are
26:31 marked.
26:32 Uh, just to give you an insight of some of the things that I’m
26:34 looking for, that’s what shows up on the left side of that, uh,
26:37 that dashboard.
26:38 Here’s some of the positive school measures that I’d like to
26:42 share with the school board and the public.
26:45 Um, number one, our schools do a fantastic job and having had an
26:50 opportunity to work for the state, I was able to, uh, be the
26:54 compliance specialist there and would cover a lot of the schools
26:57 throughout the entire central region.
27:00 And so one of the things that I noticed here is, uh, number one,
27:03 that’s very positive is the school emergency operations plan.
27:07 Those are operations plan that have the administration that
27:11 talks about the law enforcement and it shares, um, with the
27:15 active assailant response.
27:17 Those are the things that the schools have in place in case
27:19 there’s an emergency or something of that nature.
27:22 So we have a very robust CEO plan that’s in place at all of our
27:26 schools.
27:27 And that is something that is very, uh, positive and something
27:29 to be very proud of.
27:31 The second one there deals take a look at is the superintendent
27:34 directive.
27:35 A superintendent annually issues a directive outlining the, uh,
27:40 mandated security, uh, procedures and discuss these directives
27:45 during the leadership meeting with all principals.
27:47 Uh, Dr. Rendell has a conversation with the principals to let
27:50 them know this, the safety and the procedures that are important
27:53 and, uh, that’s been going on for quite some time now.
27:56 And, uh, that continues to be very positive, uh, getting our
28:00 schools in compliance.
28:03 Number three, the next one is an independent security consultant
28:07 did a district wide security appraisal, uh, from some years ago.
28:11 And those appraisals were, uh, they took a look at all of our
28:14 schools and they came up with some safety measures, uh, that we
28:18 continue to adhere to and try to improve, uh, to implement those,
28:23 uh, findings from the district wide security appraisal.
28:25 So those things have been very positive because they, um, uh,
28:29 that, that third party, they get a chance to look at some things
28:32 and make sure that, uh, our schools are in compliance and any
28:36 recommendations we are doing those things.
28:39 Uh, the next one is radios.
28:41 That was one of the recommendations from that finding of the
28:44 independent appraisal, uh, our radio reception, radio reception,
28:48 as you can imagine, is very important, uh, for emergency
28:51 procedures.
28:52 To make sure that the emergency, um, personnel can contact our
28:56 school and that the signal is strong and good.
28:58 So to date we have three sites that are done and, uh, it’s a
29:01 very tedious process, but those things are being done to make
29:05 sure that we have a great reception.
29:07 The next one is the rave app, uh, testing.
29:10 It’s important that, um, the rave app that the schools use to
29:14 signify that there’s an emergency on campus, that those things
29:18 are actively and working on, um, the phones, laptops, and such.
29:22 So those things are continually, um, being tested to make sure
29:26 that they are operating because the biggest things you want is
29:29 to make sure that those are operating and contacting the PSAP,
29:33 which is the emergency, um, uh, officials to make sure that they
29:36 know that something is going on on your campus and they can
29:39 respond accordingly.
29:40 So, um, the next thing is the monthly drills, our monthly drills
29:43 are very important because for the simple fact that the monthly
29:47 drills are the critical incidents, the emergency, um, drills,
29:50 such as the fire drills and making sure that, uh, our critical
29:54 incidents in terms of the active assailant drills are done
29:58 robustly.
29:58 And every, uh, every time that we have those to make sure that
30:01 everybody is in tune with what’s going on in the campus in terms
30:05 of the monthly drills.
30:07 And I will say that our campuses are doing a great job, making
30:09 sure that our monthly drills are done.
30:11 Our canine program, the proud thing about our canine program is,
30:16 um, with the help of major client and his team, we have at to
30:20 date, we have one gun dog.
30:23 Uh, this is the first that the district has ever had that I, I
30:25 understand.
30:26 Uh, the next one is the narcotic dog.
30:28 There’s a narcotic, two narcotic dogs that, uh, the campuses
30:32 will use to sniff out, uh, any illicit, uh, drugs and five
30:36 therapy dogs, which, uh, we found that, uh, just the, the simple,
30:40 uh, soothing.
30:42 Fact of dogs on campus, the kids seem to really take to that.
30:45 So, uh, the therapy dogs are a big thing here, uh, in Brevard
30:49 County as well.
30:50 And last but not least is the fortify and the speak out.
30:53 These are anonymous tip, um, that, uh, tip high lines that we
30:57 have throughout campuses that the kids can, um, tell about
31:02 bullying, uh, being picked on anything that they see, uh, that’s
31:06 happening.
31:06 They can report those things.
31:07 So we’ve had a fortified to date.
31:10 We’ve had 155 tips, uh, to date.
31:13 And the unfortunate part, a lot of them are not, um, real
31:17 serious.
31:17 Uh, so we’ve had two of those that were found to be very serious,
31:21 but we’re getting them to the tune of 155 from year to date.
31:24 Uh, speak out.
31:25 We’ve had 62 of those, uh, year to date, and three of those were
31:29 founded to be, uh, serious, uh, threats.
31:33 So those are the things that are happening with regards to the
31:35 very positive things throughout our school, uh, districts and
31:39 our schools themselves.
31:40 Uh, just wanted to bring that to your attention.
31:43 So the very next one here is the district assessment results,
31:48 the strategies and the actions that have been taking place based
31:51 on the findings, uh, that we have here at the district.
31:54 The very first one is the security assessment and
31:57 recommendations that we’ve had.
32:00 Uh, those there are a, basically the result of the third party
32:04 that I mentioned earlier, those things are ongoing and they
32:08 continue to, we get the recommendations from, uh, the findings
32:12 that we had a few years ago.
32:13 Uh, and so we continue to implement those things in terms of the
32:17 strategies and actions, some of which I will certainly, um, apprise
32:21 you of as we go down this list.
32:23 The very first thing is that the improved access control.
32:26 One of the things that we have is the access control throughout
32:29 the district is we’re constantly upgrading our facilities to
32:32 make sure that, um, the teachers have accurate, uh, adequate
32:36 access, uh, emergency vehicles can adequately access our, uh,
32:40 campuses as well.
32:42 We have what we call the AI if you go to our campuses to get
32:45 into the front, um, offices, you have to push the button to get
32:49 buzzed in has the camera system and the intercom as well.
32:52 So we’re doing those, uh, throughout our district and we’re
32:55 making sure that, um, those things are in place.
32:58 So we’re improving the access controls to all of our campuses.
33:01 So, uh, the access points are secure.
33:05 The vestibule hardening, if you go to our campuses now, there’s
33:09 nine schools left in order for us to be a hundred percent
33:12 compliant, uh, at this date, um, we are, have pretty much got
33:17 all our schools outside of those nine with hardened vestibules.
33:21 So therefore there’s an added level of security in our front
33:24 offices.
33:25 And so those are one of the, um, positive strategies and actions
33:28 that were taking place as well.
33:30 In addition to that, um, if you look at security cameras, we
33:33 never can have enough security cameras, but we have done a
33:37 awesome job of adding even a hundred more security cameras to
33:42 what we presently have.
33:43 Which I believe, uh, the tune was over a thousands of, uh, the
33:46 cameras that we have throughout the campus.
33:49 And so we’ve added, uh, to that, uh, we’ve extended the coverage,
33:53 longer storage, better cameras, and, uh, we’ve done that to, uh,
33:57 better suit our campuses.
33:59 Classroom door locks.
34:00 One of the things that you often hear with, particularly with
34:03 the safety is the classroom door locks.
34:06 We’ve taken the, uh, out of the human element out of it.
34:10 So what we’re doing is installing classroom door locks that lock
34:13 automatically when they’re closed, as opposed to the teacher
34:16 having to do those.
34:17 So we’re in the process of getting those changed throughout our
34:20 campuses.
34:20 And so that is an ongoing process, but we’re making a great headway
34:24 with that, getting everything changed over, uh, to classroom
34:28 door locks, the public address system.
34:30 You can imagine that that’s very important to intercoms.
34:33 So therefore, when there’s an emergency, everyone is notified.
34:36 Uh, in addition to that, uh, presently, we have, uh, pretty much
34:40 did all of those in terms of the public address system at many
34:43 of our schools.
34:44 And right now, 42 of the PA systems have been upgraded and
34:49 complete.
34:50 Uh, security, uh, procedures, accountability.
34:53 That is a continuation of the superintendent’s directive.
34:57 Um, for, uh, he reissued that again and presented it at our
35:01 leadership summit, uh, with the principals and told them to make
35:06 sure that they are adhering to that in terms of the security
35:08 procedures.
35:09 In addition to that, the HB 1473 that I mentioned earlier, they’ve
35:14 also given the power, uh, to the superintendent in terms of
35:17 progressive discipline, uh, for any staff member that is not
35:21 adhering, uh, to his directive.
35:23 So he has the ability, uh, to have progressive discipline.
35:27 So there is accountability, uh, there, the district wide, uh,
35:31 threat assessment team under the leadership of, uh, Dr. Jenkins.
35:36 We have a great, uh, threat assessment team.
35:38 Uh, she’s tasked with making sure that our school-based threat
35:42 teams are doing what they, uh, are supposed to be doing.
35:45 Uh, you can imagine right now with all the threats and
35:48 assessments and, uh, things that’s going on in our campuses,
35:51 this is very vital to our success and we have a very robust
35:55 training, uh, that goes on throughout the year to make sure that
35:59 everyone is up to speed.
36:00 That’s one of the things that I do check as I go to schools to
36:03 make sure that everyone has their certifications.
36:05 They’ve gotten their training in place because, uh, the threat
36:09 assessments is, uh, ground zero with regards to, uh, stopping
36:12 school violence.
36:14 And so we have a very, uh, good positive results, uh, with that.
36:17 Our GPS, uh, student ridership, uh, program through RE-EXIM, uh,
36:21 that is something that is in place and it’s ongoing.
36:24 Uh, we continue to make sure that our bus systems, uh, parents
36:28 can find out where their bus is, where their kids are and, uh,
36:33 throughout our district.
36:34 So RE-EXIM is very good with, uh, providing that solution.
36:37 Uh, the next one is the TSA that is the transportation security
36:41 assessment, uh, administration, excuse me.
36:44 Uh, that’s to improve bus security.
36:46 You can imagine what our school bus driver is trying to keep
36:49 their eyes on the road.
36:50 They want to make sure that they’re doing everything properly.
36:52 And so they go through an annual in-service instruction with
36:56 regards to, uh, security.
36:57 And this is an ongoing partnership as well.
37:01 The next item, uh, I’ll bring your attention is the rave panic
37:04 button.
37:04 And that is what we, uh, particularly use with the teachers and
37:08 the staff having those things downloaded on their phone.
37:11 So if there’s any emergency, they can just click that button to
37:13 make sure that those things are working properly.
37:16 And we’re continually, uh, making sure that our staff, uh, have
37:20 those things downloaded to their phone.
37:22 So they can, um, address any emergencies on campus.
37:26 And presently we’re about 85% of the staff throughout our
37:29 schools have signed up and have downloaded to receive
37:32 notifications.
37:33 Uh, the last one here on this slide is the live video monitoring.
37:38 We have a very good, uh, a camera system that allows us, uh,
37:43 here at the district offices with the, um, our security team to
37:47 make sure they can look into any school and to, uh, have a live
37:51 view of what’s going on in that campus.
37:54 So if there’s anything that’s, uh, out of order that our
37:57 security can get on that right away.
37:59 And so live video monitoring is, uh, very big.
38:03 So in conclusion, the district safety specialists, um, myself
38:07 has summarized and recommended these actions based on the recent
38:11 security assessments.
38:12 While significant improvements in school safety has been made by
38:15 BPS principals, local law enforcement and district offices,
38:18 further work and funding is needed.
38:20 The superintendent and district security are dedicated to
38:22 implementing the 20, 24, 25 F set recommendations.
38:27 The board and superintendent were briefed on these findings and
38:29 recommendations today.
38:31 Consequently, the assessment results and proposed safety
38:34 strategies are now presented to the school board for approval.
38:36 And we ask that the board approves so we can continue, uh, the
38:40 work of keeping our schools and staff straight and safe, uh,
38:44 throughout our district.
38:45 Thank you full much for your time.
38:48 Thank you so much, Mr.
38:49 Tenson.
38:49 I appreciate it.
38:50 I appreciate the, uh, one-on-one that we have as well with, in
38:52 regards to the F sat program that you, the F sat report that you
38:55 guys have put a lot
38:57 of work into, so always striving to make things safer every time
38:59 we possibly can, so.
39:00 Thank you.
39:01 All right.
39:02 We are now going to move on to the public comment portion of the
39:04 meeting.
39:05 Can we, before we do that really quick, I don’t know if we can
39:07 make comments, because I just wanted to take the opportunity.
39:10 Is it okay?
39:10 Okay, yes.
39:11 Yeah.
39:11 Mr. Timpson, Mr. Wilson, thank you so much.
39:13 You know, a few weeks ago we had a presentation from Miss, um,
39:17 Han about facilities.
39:18 I’m like, that would be a great one just to cut and plug.
39:20 We could, I, this is one, going to be one that I bookmark when
39:23 it comes to security.
39:24 When our families come and they, they’re worried about what we’re
39:27 doing or what we’re not doing, because this is about as
39:29 transparent as we can get with what’s going on.
39:31 There’s even more that we’re not necessarily able to share the,
39:34 the nitty-gritty details of, but this is a really good snapshot
39:38 for our families and for our staff as well, as to what we’re
39:41 doing on campuses to keep them safe and keep their children safe.
39:45 So thank you for this, and I know you have, we have to have this
39:48 annual presentation, but going into the greater detail is, is
39:50 very much appreciated.
39:52 And again, just a little snapshot, I think, that we can refer
39:54 people back to on a regular basis so they know what we’re, what
39:57 we’re actively pursuing in safety.
39:59 Thank you.
39:59 You’re welcome.
40:00 Sorry.
40:01 Thank you.
40:02 No, no, it’s fine.
40:03 All right.
40:04 We are now at the public comments portion of the meeting.
40:05 Mr. Gibbs, how many public comments do we have?
40:07 Seven.
40:09 All right.
40:10 So if you will, please call the first three up.
40:11 I’ll get the clock ready.
40:12 Bernard, Brian, Kelly, Kirvan, Gregory Ross.
40:20 Good morning.
40:21 Thank you, board.
40:23 I just want to say on the audit, I noticed there were six
40:27 schools that failed, and if we can get the detail of that, and I
40:33 know some things that may be confidential, I would appreciate it.
40:36 Just a couple of things.
40:37 I want to say thank you to this board, thank you to Dr. Rendell,
40:41 and my wife and I, Sister Brian, we are having a ball with our
40:46 Brevard Public School students.
40:48 We do a STEM program.
40:49 We were at Cambridge on Saturday, and we saw so many, so much
40:54 energy of our students in STEM.
40:57 We also have a STEM program we run at FIT.
41:00 We got over 50 Brevard Public School students participating in
41:04 that, and the energy we saw was so amazing, but I just want to
41:08 ask the board for some help.
41:12 Right now, I mentor eight students at University Park.
41:17 I also will be mentoring another eight students at Stone, and
41:21 one of the things I’m always challenged with, that they ask Mr.
41:25 Brian, that I always ask them, what do you want to be?
41:29 And all of them tell me, I want to be a football player.
41:32 I want to be a basketball player.
41:34 So I just need this board to help me.
41:37 When you look at the job opportunities in basketball, there are
41:43 450 pro athletes.
41:45 If you look at the opportunities in football, there are 1,700
41:49 jobs.
41:50 So you’re talking about 2,000 jobs, divide that by over 150
41:55 million, so the odds of that child becoming an athlete is 0.0003.13.
42:04 So that tells me that if we, if our parents, if we don’t
42:08 encourage our kids to do something, that’s, that’s amazing.
42:22 I wanted to bring this in.
42:24 This is Mr. Brian, okay?
42:27 This is me in high school.
42:28 I was a football player, and believe it or not, I was pretty
42:31 good.
42:32 I made second, second honorable mention.
42:36 But what I learned is that me weighing 138 pounds is not going
42:41 to get me to the pros.
42:43 So what I’m asking this board to really encourage our kids in
42:49 this step.
42:50 Right now, there are 4 million engineering jobs.
42:54 There are 700,000 software jobs.
42:57 They are 1.3 million technical jobs.
43:01 And if we, you know, I love sports, that’s why I brought this in
43:04 here, that to let you know that I love sports.
43:08 But what I want to tell you is I need you to help me minister
43:12 these kids, telling them how important it is to learn how to
43:16 read and do math.
43:17 Because it’s a challenge to me to get them to see that at this
43:20 moment.
43:21 And I know I’m running out of time.
43:23 Thank you, Mr. Bryant.
43:24 That’s what the number says, okay?
43:26 Thank you.
43:27 Kelly Curvin, Gregory Ross, Joan Taddy.
43:31 I want an autograph.
43:35 I want that picture.
43:37 Typically, I already know what I’m going to say before I walk in
43:39 this room, but today is a unique day because there are just too
43:42 many things to talk about.
43:43 First, I haven’t forgotten about the missing half a million
43:46 dollars.
43:47 While I recognize that it wasn’t actually missing, I’m still
43:50 unclear why Dr. Randolph thought it was.
43:52 Why did the head of HR call 40 administrators to tell them they’d
43:55 have to pay it back?
43:56 Why did the head of communications issue a statement to the
43:59 media acknowledging the overpayment?
44:01 Mistakes happen, but the lack of transparency is a choice.
44:04 Second, I continue to be troubled by the issues with bus
44:07 transportation.
44:09 I have heard both Dr. Randolph and Matt Susan say that our bus
44:12 positions are fully staffed, but that can’t be true.
44:15 Buses continue to run late every single day from North County to
44:19 South County.
44:20 And it’s not just a few minutes here or there.
44:22 It’s upwards of an hour in day after day, especially in the Palm
44:26 Bay schools.
44:27 How are our students supposed to do well in their earlier
44:30 subjects and class periods when they can’t arrive on time?
44:33 This is your responsibility and you’re failing.
44:36 Moving on to Dr. Randolph and Matt Susan, it simply defies all
44:40 logic and reason to fire the man who knows where all the bodies
44:44 are buried and to do so dishonestly and unethically.
44:48 This morning, Florida Today released an article about the firing
44:51 of our former communications director.
44:53 I’d say the information shocked me, but that would be a lie.
44:56 It simply reaffirmed what I already knew.
44:59 Our district is being run by an inept leader with the help of a
45:03 corrupt and dishonest board, specifically Matt Susan, Jean Trent,
45:07 and Megan Wright.
45:09 Your lack of transparency, your lack of integrity, your lack of
45:12 honesty, continues to taint the public’s image of Brevard Public
45:16 Schools.
45:16 See no further than the comments on social media when people who
45:20 you never hear from talk about how they feel about Brevard
45:24 Public Schools.
45:25 Shifting gears to Ms. Jenkins.
45:28 Both Samantha and Allison were sad that they’d have to miss your
45:31 last meeting since they’re in class.
45:33 Allison told me to say, quote, “Remind Matt Susan that he sucks
45:38 and tell Ms. Jenkins that I’ll miss her.”
45:40 Samantha left these parting words, “Tell Ms. Jen that I’m sorry
45:44 people have been so horrible to you.
45:46 She didn’t deserve it and I will always look up to her as a
45:48 strong role model.”
45:50 She’s the only woman on that board that I can look up to.
45:53 I’ll miss her.
45:54 Jen, when I first walked into my first meeting, I knew no one,
46:00 including you.
46:00 Over the last two years, I’ve gotten to know you, not only as a
46:04 board member, but also
46:05 as a human being, and I am proud to call you my friend.
46:08 Thank you for being someone my daughters can look up to.
46:11 You’ll be missed.
46:14 Gregorio Ross, Joan Taddy, Paul Rowden.
46:20 Good morning, school board.
46:23 Thank you for this opportunity to speak.
46:25 I want to follow up on what Ms. Kerbin said.
46:31 Two things.
46:32 This is the final school board meeting for not only Ms. Jenkins,
46:37 but Mr. Susan as well, if
46:39 you’re not aware, his replacement sitting out here in the
46:42 audience.
46:43 I also found it interesting they had the bullying proclamation,
46:48 because that goes hand in hand
46:50 with this Florida Today article, right?
46:54 The bullying that you did to communication staff, Mr. Susan,
47:00 which eventually led to the unjust
47:02 firing of your communications director.
47:06 Let me just read directly from the article.
47:13 The communications director’s, the former communication director’s
47:17 lawyer said his client’s concerns
47:18 reached a tipping point when weeks after being notified that his
47:22 contract was not being renewed,
47:24 Mr. Susan met with members of his staff, of the communication
47:28 director’s staff alone, to allegedly produce content
47:31 that the communication director saw as benefiting Susan, and to
47:34 give Susan final say before posting information.
47:37 That is concerning, and it’s a failure on you, Dr. Rendell, and
47:44 I’ll tell you why.
47:46 Because if you can’t see the possibility that a board member is
47:50 going to directly direct communication staff to produce things
47:56 that are beneficial, that are politically motivated and
47:59 beneficial to the school board staff, as opposed to being
48:01 beneficial to the district.
48:02 The Facebook page, that belongs to the district, not the school
48:08 board.
48:09 Your Facebook pages that belong to you and you use as a school
48:17 board member, those belong to the district, not to the school
48:25 board.
48:28 But what you’re doing and what you’ve done, which is laid out in
48:31 this article, is probably on the edge of being illegal and is
48:34 definitely unethical.
48:35 Everybody knows it.
48:37 Ms. Jenkins, thank you for always doing the right thing.
48:44 You’re not the only one.
48:45 There are other people up here.
48:47 I’ll give every one of you who have done the right thing at a
48:50 certain time, but that’s all I ask.
48:51 Ms. Jenkins is the only one who’s up here who’s done the right
48:55 thing, meeting after meeting after meeting.
48:58 Thank you.
48:59 I can’t leave here without speaking to you, Ms. Wright, and your
49:03 conspiracy theory that you posted on Twitter about the hurricane
49:07 being man-made and Florida getting their punishment for it.
49:13 As a school board chair, that is unacceptable.
49:16 Unacceptable.
49:17 Science is the way forward, not conjecture and conspiracy.
49:21 You guys need to all do better.
49:24 Thank you.
49:26 Joan Cady, Paul Rout, Amy Rout.
49:36 Good morning, Dr. Rendell and school board members.
49:40 Four years ago, I was privileged to have been chosen by Jennifer
49:46 Jenkins to administer her oath of office as she took her place
49:51 on the Brevard County School Board representing District 3.
49:56 During her four years in office, Jennifer was a relentless
50:01 warrior for her most important constituents, the children of Brevard
50:07 County.
50:08 Jennifer’s campaign symbol was a rocket pencil, which
50:14 represented not only Brevard County, but the power of education
50:21 that she so passionately fought to provide to all children
50:26 countywide.
50:29 I know I represent many teachers, parents, and children when I
50:35 say we are very proud of her accomplishments.
50:40 But Jennifer is well aware that the political battles continue,
50:46 and we all wish her well as she takes on her new role as founder
50:52 and chair of Educated We Stand.
50:57 Thank you, Jennifer, for a job well done, and a future with
51:03 continued success slaying the jargons that would threaten our
51:09 children’s fact-based public education.
51:14 Paul Raub: Paul Raub, Amy Raub, Aiden McFadden.
51:31 Paul Raub: So, I assume everybody read the paper this morning.
51:34 Nothing in that article is a big surprise to you, as Mr. Trent
51:37 refers to, as the “nothing better to do on a Tuesday night”
51:41 crowd.
51:42 But there’s a lot there, if you haven’t read it.
51:46 Now, it’s understandable that Mr. Susan would want to put the
51:49 communications staff toward helping rehabilitate certain things.
51:52 It is a team effort to make district accomplishments somehow
51:55 seem like the work of one man, such that they can fit on a
51:58 campaign flyer, which one got sent to our house, so somebody’s
52:01 messing with you guys.
52:02 I’m sorry if I gave you the quarterback or whatever that cost.
52:04 The idea, Dr. Riddell, that more positive stories needed to come
52:11 out, and that being the fault of the communications director,
52:15 reminds me of a friend of mine.
52:16 A friend of mine used to run sound at a club in Miami, and the
52:19 bands would say, you know, “Doc, it’s your fault we sound bad.”
52:22 I mean, sure, in the sense that he was making sure they were
52:25 heard accurately by the crowd, it’s sort of his fault, but there’s
52:29 only so much you can do when the material is being generated.
52:33 It’s hard to come up with stories that are going to overcome the
52:37 surprise jailhouse press conferences.
52:41 It’s, you know, are we going to spend – in October, we read
52:44 bottom to top.
52:44 How do we make that a positive?
52:47 You know, if Gene Trent exists.
52:51 But I understand that – I got the steel clap, I’m so proud.
52:55 Much like, you know, accountability can sound like a threat,
53:01 competence and good faith can seem like betrayal when they’re
53:08 not – they don’t work in your favor.
53:10 Just adding to the checklist of cell phones, unforced errors,
53:18 like my friend Greg said, maybe don’t fire the guy who knows
53:24 where the bodies are buried.
53:25 I don’t know.
53:26 But on a more positive but sadder note, I also just wanted to
53:32 thank Jennifer Jenkins for all you’ve done for these past few
53:37 years and the actual abuse you’ve taken from certain members of
53:43 the public.
53:43 But you’ve, you know, hung in there.
53:46 You’ve, again, fought the good fight, said the right things to
53:49 cite being, you know, shouted down and mansplained from the dais
53:53 constantly and fought through it.
53:56 And I don’t think I would have handled it with a tenth of the
53:59 grace that you have.
54:00 And, you know, you joke that you’re sorry for picking me for the
54:04 book committee and dragging me into all this.
54:06 And, yeah, completely your fault.
54:07 I do blame you.
54:08 No.
54:09 But it’s been an honor to have – that you chose me and hope I’ve
54:14 done you proud and you certainly have done us proud.
54:17 And thank you for being a voice for our students, for our
54:20 parents, for sanity, for reason.
54:23 Thank you.
54:24 This is more than you know.
54:25 Amy Rao.
54:28 Aidan McFadden.
54:30 Hi.
54:43 Good morning.
54:45 So, hey, Matt, you like my T-shirt?
54:50 How does it make you feel?
54:52 It’s kind of tight?
54:54 Is it relevant?
54:55 I know.
54:56 Oh, okay.
54:57 So, I don’t know.
54:58 You texted a county commissioner about Jen’s tight T-shirts and
55:04 how she wears them for attention.
55:05 Just wasn’t sure if you knew that after reading that Florida
55:09 Today article this morning and how you are just such a
55:14 hypocrite, saying that a piece of clothing she’s wearing is
55:21 attention-grabbing and you firing your communications
55:26 director for not giving you enough attention.
55:30 You’re just a joke, Matt.
55:35 Look how tan you are.
55:36 Is that because you’ve been running around campaigning?
55:39 I don’t think you were worried about losing to an angry black
55:43 woman or a midget or child in this district.
55:49 Your new one that you redistricted.
55:51 I don’t know.
55:51 Because you know she would have beat you.
55:53 Today’s your last chance to apologize to her up there, because
56:02 this is your guys’ last meeting.
56:04 But I know you won’t, so I will.
56:08 Jen, I am so sorry that you have had to put up with this man up
56:18 here.
56:18 The abuse he’s put you through.
56:20 You guys really could have made a difference.
56:26 But instead, you were fighting this guy, you know, for the
56:32 students.
56:32 Matt’s for Matt.
56:34 I’m surprised you’re still sitting there.
56:38 You usually run away.
56:39 And Jen, thank you for putting up with it.
56:45 Thank you for trying your hardest and really making a difference
56:49 in our community.
56:51 We’re really going to miss you.
56:53 And you’ve given so many girls a role model to look up to that’s
57:04 real.
57:05 Like, they’ve been able to take pictures with you.
57:08 They can quote you.
57:10 Like, you’ve done so much.
57:12 And I hope that you don’t feel like any of it was a waste.
57:20 It wasn’t.
57:21 Thank you.
57:22 Aiden McBadden.
57:37 Hello, board.
57:38 I’m Aiden.
57:40 I just wanted to come up here to, again, thank Jennifer for all
57:45 that she’s done for the kids
57:47 of this county and even for us personally.
57:53 She’s a great woman and someone to look up to.
57:58 And it’s a sad day that she’s leaving.
58:00 Thank you.
58:02 All right.
58:09 That concludes the public comment portion of the meeting.
58:11 We are now on to the consent agenda.
58:13 Dr.
58:14 Rindell.
58:15 Thank you, Madam Chair.
58:16 There are 21 agenda items under this category.
58:18 Thank you, Dr.
58:19 Rindell.
58:19 Does any board member wish to pull any of the items?
58:21 Hearing none.
58:26 All right.
58:27 Do I have a motion?
58:28 Move to approve.
58:29 Second.
58:30 Any discussion?
58:31 No?
58:33 All right.
58:34 Paul, roll call, please.
58:35 Ms. Jenkins?
58:36 Aye.
58:37 Ms. Campbell?
58:38 Aye.
58:39 Ms. Wright?
58:40 Aye.
58:41 Mr. Trent?
58:42 Aye.
58:43 Mr. Susan?
58:44 Aye.
58:45 All right.
58:46 Dr. Rindell, will you please let us know about the items under
58:47 the action portion of today’s
58:47 agenda?
58:48 Thank you, Madam Chair.
58:49 The first action item is H33, Department and School Initiated
58:51 Agreements.
58:51 Do I have a motion?
58:52 Move to approve.
58:53 Second.
58:54 Any discussion?
58:55 No.
58:56 Paul, roll call, please.
58:57 Ms. Jenkins?
58:58 Aye.
58:59 Ms. Campbell?
59:00 Aye.
59:01 Ms. Wright?
59:02 Aye.
59:03 Mr. Trent?
59:04 Aye.
59:05 Mr. Susan?
59:06 Aye.
59:07 Thank you.
59:08 Will you let us know about the next item under the action?
59:09 Thank you, Madam Chair.
59:10 The last action item is H34, Procurement Solicitations.
59:11 Do I have a motion?
59:12 Move to approve.
59:13 Second.
59:14 Any discussion?
59:15 No.
59:16 Paul, roll call, please.
59:17 Ms. Jenkins?
59:18 Aye.
59:19 Ms. Campbell?
59:20 Aye.
59:21 Ms. Wright?
59:22 Aye.
59:23 The next agenda, which includes two items for the board to
59:25 review, and they may be brought
59:26 back for action at a subsequent meeting.
59:28 No action.
59:29 It will be taken on these items today.
59:31 Sorry.
59:32 Does any board member wish to discuss either one of these?
59:34 Hearing none.
59:35 All right.
59:36 We are now on to board member reports.
59:37 Does any board member have anything further to report or discuss?
59:40 I’d like to bring up something real quick.
59:43 All right.
59:44 They both do.
59:45 Go ahead.
59:46 I was able to meet with some of my homeschool families and just
59:48 kind of walk through some
59:49 of the policy changes that we have, some of the things that
59:52 staff has been working
59:52 on and they had come back with a series of questions that staff
59:58 met with them on.
1:00:00 And one of the themes that continued to come up was they are
1:00:04 very excited to take classes inside
1:00:07 BPS and be a part of BPS in different ways.
1:00:10 And some of them even came up and said, you know, some of our
1:00:12 students would love to be
1:00:13 a part of BPS and would love the opportunity to come in.
1:00:17 Some of the inhibiting factors that they had was is that there’s
1:00:21 no website for them as far
1:00:22 as communication for them to find out about activities and stuff
1:00:25 like that.
1:00:26 So I asked them if they would form a task team to put that
1:00:29 together and they agreed.
1:00:30 Also, they, they were really excited about just the opportunity
1:00:34 to do some of the things that
1:00:36 now are opportunities inside of our homeschool policy changes.
1:00:39 And the other thing was is that they had mentioned questions
1:00:43 about just in general, like some
1:00:45 of the ins and outs of some of the things and staff did an
1:00:47 amazing job of answering all of those.
1:00:49 So if you ever get a chance, try to meet with some of your homeschool
1:00:52 families and see it.
1:00:53 But it’s a different time because a lot of them are wanting to
1:00:56 be a part of BPS just under certain standards.
1:00:58 So I think it’s going to be really good that some of the changes
1:01:00 that have been made and moving in that direction.
1:01:02 I do want to say that our poor homeschool staff is very, very
1:01:06 understaffed.
1:01:07 And that’s just because like Ms. Campbell mentioned in one of
1:01:10 the meetings that there’s a significant
1:01:12 non-funding of the of the homeschool because of the way that
1:01:16 that’s set up.
1:01:17 So a lot of the homeschool families said that they would work
1:01:19 towards supporting
1:01:20 and creating advocate groups for that.
1:01:22 So just wanted to kind of let you guys know that.
1:01:24 And that’s it.
1:01:25 All right.
1:01:26 Thank you, Mr. Susan.
1:01:28 Ms. Campbell, you sent the board.
1:01:31 So Friday is the FSBA Advocacy Committee meeting where we’ll be
1:01:37 approving the 2025 legislative platform.
1:01:39 And so as I serve as I represented on that, I want to make sure
1:01:44 that I have any input that
1:01:45 you guys may have before we go for that final.
1:01:49 So hopefully you guys got a chance to look over that since
1:01:52 yesterday.
1:01:53 And if you have any – usually there’s not a lot of movement, I’ll
1:01:59 be quite honest.
1:02:00 But if there’s a – from all the districts, if there’s a
1:02:02 consistent theme, we can certainly –
1:02:04 the Advocacy Committee has the power to make any adjustments.
1:02:07 So – and if there was something that was on here or that was on
1:02:11 here and then you were wondering
1:02:11 why I can – from the meetings that we’ve already held, I can
1:02:13 certainly share what I do know.
1:02:16 Any thoughts?
1:02:17 Thank you.
1:02:18 Are you guys good?
1:02:19 Go ahead.
1:02:20 I have some, but I always want to wait for everybody else.
1:02:22 Go ahead.
1:02:24 Thank you for putting this together.
1:02:25 I do know that – I do know that having this – this is a – the
1:02:29 organization and everything
1:02:30 else that it comes to take to do this is a lot of work.
1:02:32 So I appreciate you, Ms. Campbell.
1:02:33 I can’t take credit for this.
1:02:34 It was a committee.
1:02:35 I know.
1:02:36 But you’re a – you’re a big part of that.
1:02:40 The question that I was having was, is when it says under
1:02:43 administrative efficiency,
1:02:44 allows districts to establish start times based on the input
1:02:47 from parents and families
1:02:48 and students attending school districts.
1:02:50 What does that mean?
1:02:51 Can you clarify that?
1:02:52 Yeah.
1:02:53 Do you remember a couple years ago when the legislature passed a
1:02:55 law that says high schools
1:02:56 can’t start until – what is it?
1:02:57 After 8:00, middle schools can’t start until after 8:30.
1:03:00 Fortunately, that doesn’t affect Brevard because we’re already
1:03:02 in compliance with that.
1:03:03 But there are many, many, many school districts that it does.
1:03:06 And so even when – it doesn’t take effect until 2026, but we’re
1:03:11 – that window is quickly
1:03:12 arriving.
1:03:13 And so what this was – so that school – to ask that school
1:03:16 districts who aren’t in compliance,
1:03:18 if they reach out and survey their own community and their
1:03:20 community wants to keep it the way
1:03:21 it is, that the legislature would – would make that adjustment
1:03:25 so that that community could
1:03:26 keep it.
1:03:27 As long as the district can show they did the – they did the
1:03:29 survey and that community – so
1:03:30 it’s more of a community-based decision because a lot of the
1:03:32 school districts are having
1:03:34 a really hard time because it affects their transportation
1:03:37 issues and things.
1:03:38 This is thankfully a problem we don’t have.
1:03:40 But it is a statewide problem.
1:03:42 So start times being the start time for the day, not the actual
1:03:45 start time for the year.
1:03:45 The day.
1:03:46 And we had a conversation about the calendar.
1:03:49 And that one didn’t make it quite on here.
1:03:51 And by the way, this number two administrative efficiency, that
1:03:54 is what we called last year
1:03:56 the deregulation.
1:03:57 They’ve been told there will be no talk about deregulation, but
1:04:00 we can call it administrative
1:04:02 efficiency.
1:04:03 So we’re still talking about dereg, just not with the same verbiage.
1:04:06 But that one just didn’t make it across the finish line.
1:04:09 But honestly, if this board wants for – you know, to continue
1:04:12 to push it, if we get
1:04:14 enough people from different districts, the advocacy committee
1:04:16 just, you know, has a representative
1:04:18 from every single county.
1:04:19 So that’s why it’s kind of making this final say.
1:04:22 So if I go in and other counties are saying, too, yeah, no, our
1:04:25 board wants us to push for
1:04:26 that, you know, we’ll see.
1:04:29 I mean, I – let me get a consensus at least.
1:04:32 Okay.
1:04:33 I don’t know what you guys –
1:04:34 Go ahead.
1:04:35 And then the other one I was asking about was reduce unnecessary
1:04:38 reporting and consolidated
1:04:39 funding categories.
1:04:40 I didn’t know what you were referencing there.
1:04:43 That was – so a couple years ago, all of the categoricals –
1:04:48 not all of them, but a
1:04:50 lot of the categoricals got shoved just into the base student
1:04:54 allocation.
1:04:55 So the funding is all together, but the reporting is still
1:04:59 required.
1:04:59 So there’s a lot of those.
1:05:00 I’m trying to think of an example, Dr. Rendell, can you –
1:05:05 Definitely any grants, especially state grants.
1:05:08 Yeah.
1:05:09 You know, they end up going into the general fund now, but we
1:05:13 still have to report to all
1:05:15 the different grant agencies, so to speak.
1:05:17 And it just is unnecessary paperwork because the money doesn’t
1:05:20 come that way anymore.
1:05:21 Right.
1:05:22 So –
1:05:23 Right.
1:05:24 So it’s just kind of reducing that.
1:05:26 And I – there were some examples given by the districts, the
1:05:28 people that put forward
1:05:29 that.
1:05:30 I mean, I can’t remember off the top of my head.
1:05:31 That’s why I asked for assistance.
1:05:32 But that’s what it is.
1:05:33 It’s just those – those things that used to be all separated
1:05:36 out, they’re all together,
1:05:37 but yet we’re still having to report it like they’re all
1:05:39 separated out.
1:05:40 Yeah.
1:05:41 I just – so we have separate categories that have separate
1:05:45 funding.
1:05:45 And you’re asking to say that we don’t have to have those
1:05:48 reported in the –
1:05:50 It’s basically duplicative reporting.
1:05:52 Yeah.
1:05:53 You know, one hand at the DOE doesn’t know what the other hand
1:05:56 is asking for.
1:05:57 So we have to do it twice.
1:05:58 Okay.
1:05:59 All right.
1:06:00 And then streamline and reduce reporting of required instruction.
1:06:04 What is that?
1:06:05 What do you have there?
1:06:07 That one was – that is along the same lines that Dr. Rendell
1:06:13 just shared.
1:06:14 When the state comes down and says you must teach X, then they
1:06:20 have to – we have to have
1:06:21 like from every classroom like to prove that that teacher taught,
1:06:26 for example, the Holocaust
1:06:27 lesson.
1:06:28 You have – like it’s so – it’s pretty onerous reporting that
1:06:32 every district has to have
1:06:33 because they have to go and say every single teacher and this is
1:06:36 how they did it.
1:06:36 Rather than saying – rather than the district being able to –
1:06:38 you know, Dr. Rendell will
1:06:39 be able to comply.
1:06:40 Look, we’ve done everything we need to do and the lessons were
1:06:44 taught.
1:06:44 So, again, it’s just – and remember, some of this DREG has to
1:06:47 do with what is the difference
1:06:49 between the traditional public schools, what they have to do and
1:06:52 what the charter schools
1:06:52 have to do.
1:06:53 The charter schools do not have to do any of this reporting.
1:06:55 Right.
1:06:56 So, that was some of the – again, going back to DREG, here are
1:06:59 some of the things that
1:06:59 were left over.
1:07:00 They didn’t make it across the finish line last year.
1:07:03 And so, I think that’s – that is where that is.
1:07:05 Okay.
1:07:06 And then eliminating teaching certification being tied to school
1:07:10 district, that one right
1:07:11 there.
1:07:12 It’s the final one.
1:07:13 Sorry, I’m in the administrative .
1:07:14 Yeah.
1:07:15 No, no, no, no.
1:07:16 I appreciate it.
1:07:17 And this one, I’ll be quite honest, this wasn’t – I can’t
1:07:21 remember which county or which person
1:07:22 this came from, but I think this has to do with – and our
1:07:26 certification thing didn’t
1:07:27 make it across the finish line.
1:07:28 I’ll just tell you because when I talked about the social worker
1:07:31 thing, I’ve talked to Dr.
1:07:32 Rendell, too, about this.
1:07:33 I’m trying to figure out what’s going on because other districts
1:07:35 aren’t having the
1:07:36 problems that we’re having with the social workers having to
1:07:38 pass a general knowledge exam.
1:07:39 So, I’m trying to get to the bottom of why that’s a Brevard
1:07:43 issue.
1:07:44 But I think this one has to do – I’m just going to – you know,
1:07:48 actually, rather than just
1:07:49 making something up, I’m going to tell you I can’t remember.
1:07:52 Okay.
1:07:53 Let me go back.
1:07:54 Okay.
1:07:55 No, I appreciate your work.
1:07:58 See if something jogs my memory.
1:08:00 You can maybe come back to it.
1:08:01 So, this was one – so the legislative subcommittee put this
1:08:04 together with all the hundred or
1:08:07 so recommendations from the counties and they combined some and
1:08:11 then they eliminated some
1:08:12 because they weren’t statewide.
1:08:14 Okay.
1:08:15 Now, maybe I’ll come back to you.
1:08:16 Yeah.
1:08:17 Thank you.
1:08:18 I don’t need to – I just need to know what the 30,000-foot view
1:08:20 of this.
1:08:20 Yeah.
1:08:21 All right.
1:08:22 I’ll be clear.
1:08:23 So, I think the 30,000-foot view of this is trying to make it
1:08:27 easier for school districts
1:08:28 to get qualified teachers.
1:08:30 You know, we put in about reciprocity and that didn’t quite make
1:08:33 it across the finish line
1:08:35 because they wanted more information about what we’re dealing
1:08:38 with with other states.
1:08:39 You know, I mean, it’s my opinion that if you are an experienced
1:08:42 certified teacher in
1:08:43 the state of Georgia, Alabama, and a lot of our legislators, it’s
1:08:47 their opinion too, but
1:08:48 they didn’t realize it’s not true, that you should be able to
1:08:51 come into the state of Florida
1:08:53 and get going and not have to do the same kinds of things that a
1:08:57 brand new teacher out of college
1:08:58 is having to do.
1:08:59 Yeah.
1:09:00 Right now, that’s not necessarily the case.
1:09:01 So – but they needed more information before, so that’s going
1:09:04 to be a longer conversation.
1:09:05 Okay.
1:09:06 Certainly, our board can push for that, but it would be helpful
1:09:09 to have as much data as
1:09:10 possible.
1:09:11 I think that’s good on my questions.
1:09:12 Thank you.
1:09:13 All right.
1:09:14 Mr. Trent, do you have a question?
1:09:15 Yeah.
1:09:16 He answered a couple – asked some of the disabled.
1:09:17 That’s good.
1:09:18 Ms. Campbell, you and I spoke about this.
1:09:20 I would really love to see, again, you know, we have – I think
1:09:23 it’s Florida Statute 1001.42
1:09:26 mandates that school cannot start before August 10th, which this
1:09:30 board knows I’ve been championing
1:09:31 that modified calendar, and I actually had the opportunity to
1:09:33 present to the parent leadership
1:09:34 team this last week when we talked about some of the things that
1:09:38 have taken place over the
1:09:39 course of the last 12 months.
1:09:41 The overwhelming response of the room was, “Oh, my gosh, we love
1:09:44 it,” when I showed them
1:09:44 the calendar of what it looks like, because I think there’s a
1:09:46 lot of misconception in the
1:09:47 community of year-round sounds horrible, like you’re in school
1:09:49 all year long.
1:09:50 It’s the exact same number of days.
1:09:51 You just split the breaks up.
1:09:53 So when I presented it and showed them the calendar, we walked
1:09:56 through it, it was very,
1:09:57 very well received.
1:09:58 Lots of people asking, “Can we have it at our school?
1:10:00 Can we have it at our school?”
1:10:01 And it doesn’t work that way, unfortunately.
1:10:02 But one of the things that I – we will need help with is
1:10:06 getting some kind of exemption
1:10:08 to that August 10th start date.
1:10:10 So if we – if our district were to look towards moving in that
1:10:13 direction in the future,
1:10:14 that August 10th start date is going to be a hindrance on us.
1:10:18 So I’m going to obviously – I will send emails and make phone
1:10:22 calls and try to meet with
1:10:23 our local delegation myself and ask for these things.
1:10:25 Just saying this would be a really great caveat to have it
1:10:28 written in there.
1:10:28 Obviously, it takes board majority to move on any kind of
1:10:31 drastic change like that.
1:10:32 But I would love to see the flexibility be there.
1:10:35 One of the things I think that was a huge win, just so you know,
1:10:38 no vacancies at Challenger 7
1:10:39 for the first time in five years for teacher vacancies.
1:10:42 That’s a huge win.
1:10:43 And so when we’re in a teacher crisis and shortage, I think that
1:10:46 speaks volumes to say we don’t
1:10:48 have any teachers that are not wanting to work at that school.
1:10:51 I think that calendar might have been very attractive and the
1:10:53 reason why they are fully staffed.
1:10:55 So just something to think about, board.
1:10:57 That’s all.
1:10:58 When you’re talking about this, obviously, I would love to see
1:11:00 that make it on this platform,
1:11:00 but I don’t know if that – you know, this is an FSBA platform.
1:11:04 So –
1:11:05 So in our conversation around that, there’s a couple things that
1:11:08 came up.
1:11:08 One of – one, I have to say, there already is some kind of
1:11:11 exemption because even one of
1:11:12 our own charter schools has been doing the year-round calendar.
1:11:15 They start in July.
1:11:16 They’ve been doing it for years.
1:11:17 And the schools in Charlotte, even prior to the pilot program,
1:11:22 the schools in Charlotte,
1:11:22 those three schools have been doing also since the ’90s, maybe
1:11:27 one in the 2017 timeframe.
1:11:29 But – so they already have – so there is a way to make it
1:11:32 happen.
1:11:32 But I will tell you, as far as statewide, the people who are
1:11:34 remembering when school used to be able to start,
1:11:37 let’s say early August, the big pushback, again, just for
1:11:42 historical perspective, were the big companies
1:11:45 who needed the high schoolers to be working in the summer.
1:11:50 And like Disney and, you know, the tourism industry.
1:11:54 So that, just historically, from our lobbyists giving us
1:11:58 information, when that happened and Florida settled on that
1:12:02 August 10th start date, it was really a big part of that.
1:12:05 My understanding is that they wanted those – they need those
1:12:09 high school workers to be able to help, you know, with one of
1:12:14 our biggest industries in the state.
1:12:15 So that’s where – that’s the battle that we might be facing.
1:12:19 But just wanted to give you that historical perspective.
1:12:22 But I’m certainly willing to go into our meeting on Friday and
1:12:25 say, hey, our board wants to see the addition of – you know,
1:12:29 and ask for more flexibility to school districts.
1:12:32 So that if they want to do the pilot programs, they don’t have
1:12:35 to do beyond, you know, whatever they’re doing now.
1:12:37 I don’t know if those – I don’t know if, like, Royal Palm Charter
1:12:39 School and the schools in Charlotte County were grandfathered in.
1:12:43 Right.
1:12:44 It was my understanding that any school district that wanted to
1:12:46 could do something.
1:12:47 The pilot program was just kind of a, hey, let’s do it together
1:12:50 kind of thing.
1:12:51 Right.
1:12:52 But I actually don’t – I don’t know the answer to that question.
1:12:54 I know.
1:12:55 Well, and I’ll reach out to Charlotte and see if I can find some
1:12:56 answers on how they’re getting around that because I think it is
1:12:59 worth exploring if we decide to expand it.
1:13:01 I’m excited about the possibility.
1:13:03 It seems like the community is extremely excited.
1:13:05 Yeah.
1:13:06 The staff has been excited so far.
1:13:07 So I’m just excited about the possibility as we have those
1:13:10 conversations.
1:13:11 I don’t have anything else on your FSBA platform that you have
1:13:15 there.
1:13:15 So I wanted – Ms. Jenkins, do you have anything on there that
1:13:18 you want to respond to as far as the FSBA platform?
1:13:20 No, not for FSBA.
1:13:21 Okay.
1:13:22 All right.
1:13:23 So any other board member reports or discussion?
1:13:26 Yep.
1:13:27 All right.
1:13:28 Go ahead, Ms. Jenkins.
1:13:29 I’m going to be a while.
1:13:31 So if you want to use the restroom, go right ahead.
1:13:34 I’m going to take a moment.
1:13:38 This is not in particularly for the people who are sitting in
1:13:41 the room because it’s 9:30 in the morning.
1:13:43 There’s not many of you.
1:13:44 But this is for the hundreds of people who have reached out to
1:13:47 me over the past two weeks who are going to be watching this.
1:13:50 This is for my family who is watching.
1:13:54 This is for the students who have thanked me and contacted me
1:13:57 over the past couple of weeks.
1:13:59 So I’m going to be taking my sweet time just warning you.
1:14:02 If you need a stretch break, go for it.
1:14:05 First and foremost, I want to acknowledge that my husband is in
1:14:13 the room.
1:14:14 And Sam took off of work today to be here.
1:14:20 But I don’t ever get to publicly address him and thank him for
1:14:26 the absolute hell that we have lived for the past four years.
1:14:34 And not only did I have to deal with that nightmare, but you did
1:14:38 too.
1:14:38 As an individual, as an employee, as a husband, as a father.
1:14:43 And you deserve a public display of acknowledgement and praise
1:14:50 and love.
1:14:51 You kept our daughter safe.
1:14:53 There are so many things that people could never even imagine
1:14:57 that had happened to us that they just don’t understand or know
1:15:01 about.
1:15:02 They don’t understand that my husband and my daughter were
1:15:05 continuously followed around in public when I wasn’t there.
1:15:08 Not that it’s okay when I’m there, but a little bit more
1:15:11 understandable.
1:15:12 They don’t understand that people would post my daughter’s
1:15:16 location when she would be at playdates on neighborhood apps.
1:15:21 They don’t know what it’s like to have an investigator come to
1:15:27 their home and sit down at their kitchen table and ask their
1:15:30 parents how they abuse their daughter.
1:15:35 They don’t know what it’s like to go to work and not be able to
1:15:39 escape the comments and the rumors and the disgusting nonsense
1:15:42 that happens over and over again.
1:15:44 Even last week being mailed to the board to his work email, they
1:15:50 don’t know what it’s like to have people who some of my fellow
1:15:54 board members break bread with parking beside my home when I’m
1:15:57 at a board meeting to intimidate my husband.
1:16:00 They don’t know what it’s like.
1:16:01 They don’t know what it’s like to go trick-or-treating with my
1:16:05 daughter and have people scream at us.
1:16:07 They don’t get it.
1:16:10 And they don’t get what it’s like to be a strong enough man to
1:16:16 stand beside me and not say anything and keep it together.
1:16:22 Because I am a proud, strong, independent woman.
1:16:26 And he knew damn well that I wanted to be an example for my
1:16:30 daughter.
1:16:31 So thank you for putting up with this nonsense for the past four
1:16:35 years.
1:16:36 I love you.
1:16:38 Thank you.
1:16:42 I also want to thank my dad because he asked to be here today.
1:16:48 And I said, no, thank you.
1:16:49 Quite frankly, I don’t trust what he’d say.
1:16:53 I want to thank him, though, because he doesn’t know the
1:16:57 conversations that he would have with me as a child, how odd it
1:17:02 was to be 34 years old and reflect on how those moments had
1:17:06 shaped me as a woman and prepared me for these moments over the
1:17:09 past four years.
1:17:10 My dad was a correction officer in New York City, in one of the
1:17:14 toughest prisons in the United States of America.
1:17:17 So to say that he was tough is probably the biggest understatement
1:17:21 of my life.
1:17:22 But my dad was so protective of me.
1:17:26 And when I was little, he would tell me, don’t ever let someone
1:17:31 tell you who you are.
1:17:33 Don’t you dare admit to something you’ve never done.
1:17:37 And don’t you dare let a boy talk to you in a negative way.
1:17:41 And it’s weird to then fast forward to 34 years old and realize
1:17:45 what my dad was teaching me when I was a little girl.
1:17:51 My mom was so ill for the past three years of my life.
1:17:54 And my dad was her sole caretaker.
1:17:57 But when I lost my father-in-law, who was my daughter’s best
1:18:01 friend in the middle of the chaos, and when Sam and I were
1:18:04 struggling to keep it together because we were trying to stay afloat
1:18:07 emotionally through all of it.
1:18:10 He just stepped in and took care of her anyway and kept her life
1:18:15 as normal as possible.
1:18:17 And I am so grateful for him.
1:18:20 And I know he’s going to watch this.
1:18:22 And I just, again, I believe he deserves a public
1:18:24 acknowledgement for what an incredible father and grandfather he’s
1:18:28 been through the past four years of my life.
1:18:34 And especially after losing my mom, I believe that so often when
1:18:43 people are given times to address an audience, they often share
1:18:56 stories of success too often.
1:18:59 And some of you might have already heard this story, but I’m
1:19:01 going to share it anyway.
1:19:02 Because, again, this moment is where I know the students that
1:19:05 are listening are going to watch it later.
1:19:07 I think it’s important to talk about your failures and the
1:19:13 struggles that led you to your moments of success.
1:19:16 Because it’s those moments that honor your true integrity, your
1:19:20 purpose, who you are, why you’re in a place for a reason.
1:19:23 And it inspires other people to join you in a movement and in a
1:19:27 mission and to follow in your footsteps.
1:19:30 So I’m going to talk about my struggles.
1:19:32 And this is a story that I had the honor of sharing at some
1:19:36 graduations this year.
1:19:37 And I want the young women that I am so proud to be an example
1:19:41 for to hear this story.
1:19:42 I grew up in New York City.
1:19:46 And right after I was born, my mom suddenly became paralyzed on
1:19:50 a staircase.
1:19:51 My dad was a new law enforcement officer, not making very much
1:19:56 money.
1:19:56 Suddenly found himself working two and three jobs just to get
1:20:00 our family by.
1:20:01 And my mom struggled for the rest of her life with her disease
1:20:08 on and off.
1:20:09 Some days she couldn’t walk.
1:20:10 Some days she couldn’t talk.
1:20:11 Sometimes she struggled to see.
1:20:13 She had double vision.
1:20:15 Her most – the biggest struggle for her was that she never got
1:20:21 to finish college.
1:20:23 So much so, I actually have it with me.
1:20:30 When she passed away, I went through her things.
1:20:32 And in her nightstand, she literally had her College of Staten
1:20:36 Island card in her nightstand
1:20:38 because it was the most important thing to her that she never
1:20:42 finished college.
1:20:43 And I remember my mom taking me to the campus so proud that she
1:20:46 was registering for classes in person
1:20:48 back when you used to have to do that.
1:20:51 And as a teenager, I would beg my parents to get a part-time job.
1:20:55 I remember applying for jobs at the Italian delis, and my mom
1:20:59 would literally call and cancel my interviews
1:21:03 because she would tell me that my job is school, that school is
1:21:08 my job.
1:21:08 It is my only job.
1:21:09 It is what they instilled in my brother and I.
1:21:12 They had an expectation for us that we would go to college.
1:21:15 They demanded, basically, that we would go to graduate school
1:21:18 and have advanced degrees.
1:21:20 It was the most important thing to them.
1:21:25 My dad literally worked at Pizza Hut on the weekends so that we
1:21:31 wouldn’t have to.
1:21:35 And so my parents instilled this belief in me and I, like every
1:21:40 other teenager in New York, I saw myself working in Manhattan.
1:21:44 I had a dream that I was going to work on Wall Street.
1:21:46 I was going to be a CEO.
1:21:47 I was going to have fancy clothes and make a ton of money and
1:21:50 roll in that money when I got home at night in my fancy penthouse
1:21:53 apartment.
1:21:53 And so I was about to go to a business school.
1:21:57 And about two weeks beforehand, my parents told me that they
1:22:01 were moving to Florida.
1:22:02 And I decided to come along.
1:22:06 I felt like I had no choice because of my mom’s health.
1:22:09 And so I did.
1:22:10 And I didn’t live here with them.
1:22:12 I lived off campus in Orlando.
1:22:14 I went to the University of Central Florida.
1:22:16 And I struggled.
1:22:18 I was alone.
1:22:20 I was sad.
1:22:21 I missed the only friends and family I had ever known.
1:22:23 I was anxious.
1:22:24 I was probably depressed.
1:22:26 And I had this immense fear and guilt because I had to tell my
1:22:33 parents that my job, the only job they had ever given me, I was
1:22:38 failing at.
1:22:39 And I had failed out of college after one year.
1:22:42 And it was the most terrifying time in my life.
1:22:48 I felt like the ground beneath me was literally crumbling like I
1:22:52 was drowning.
1:22:53 And I was terrified that that decision was going to define my
1:22:57 life forever.
1:22:58 Well, it absolutely did.
1:23:02 But it didn’t define it in the way that I thought that it would.
1:23:05 So my family told me to come to Brevard County, to go to Brevard
1:23:09 Community College, back when it was Brevard Community College,
1:23:12 that if I had achieved my AA degree, they would send me back to
1:23:15 Staten Island.
1:23:16 And I took over 20 credits in one semester because I was getting
1:23:21 out of Florida.
1:23:22 And I jam packed my schedule with nonsense.
1:23:25 Classes I couldn’t care less about.
1:23:28 They had to fit in my schedule because I was getting out of here.
1:23:32 And one of those classes would change my life forever.
1:23:36 One of those classes was an elementary education class.
1:23:40 A class that I met salmon.
1:23:42 And a class that literally changed my life forever.
1:23:46 I will never forget that moment.
1:23:49 We were told to go to Endeavor Elementary.
1:23:53 And I didn’t live here.
1:23:54 I had never really experienced Brevard County.
1:23:56 And I will never forget that drive to Coco.
1:23:58 I could not believe what I was witnessing with my eyes.
1:24:02 I felt like I saw a community that a county did little to hide.
1:24:06 How little it cared about that community.
1:24:08 I saw a school that did little to hide with the exterior
1:24:12 aesthetics.
1:24:12 How little a district cared about the kids that went to that
1:24:16 school.
1:24:16 How they were at least priority on the totem pole.
1:24:20 It was the strangest feeling coming from a borough of New York
1:24:25 City in a very diverse community.
1:24:27 To see that here in Florida on the Space Coast.
1:24:31 But when I saw inside of that building was a complete and utter
1:24:35 contrast.
1:24:35 Those adults inside of that building did nothing but care, love,
1:24:40 respect all of those children inside of that room.
1:24:43 They had a passion, a genuine, genuine passion for their craft,
1:24:46 for their profession.
1:24:47 They did everything they could for those kids.
1:24:50 I had the pleasure of spending that day with Miss Barbara Wilcox.
1:24:54 I’ve recognized her here a couple of times when she comes to
1:24:57 present her students with the kindness symbol.
1:25:01 I will never forget that woman.
1:25:03 Never.
1:25:04 Never, ever, ever will I forget that woman.
1:25:07 Eventually, I changed my career path, my destination, what I
1:25:12 wanted to be.
1:25:13 I went to grad school and I became a speech and language pathologist.
1:25:15 But I immediately began working with Brevard Public Schools and
1:25:18 Title I schools and with our students in our ASC programs.
1:25:21 Because that moment stuck with me.
1:25:25 It is my why.
1:25:28 It has always been my why.
1:25:34 It is why I have been so passionately advocating up here.
1:25:39 Because it drives me crazy.
1:25:44 That I can’t feel the same why from other people in leadership.
1:25:47 I am so, so grateful for the staff of this district because I
1:25:54 see their why, I feel their why, and they deserve all the credit
1:25:58 in the world for the success.
1:25:59 I want our students to know, and in particular our young female
1:26:10 students who, again, I can’t even tell you how many messages I’ve
1:26:15 gotten from them over the past four years.
1:26:17 I want you to know that your future isn’t going to be perfect.
1:26:27 That you will have bumpy roads.
1:26:29 You will literally feel like the ground beneath you is crumbling
1:26:33 like I did.
1:26:34 People will physically throw stones at you.
1:26:37 They did to me as an adult.
1:26:39 But I want you to pick up those gravel pieces, pick up those
1:26:44 stones, hold them in your hand.
1:26:46 I want you to feel all that you feel in that moment.
1:26:49 You have every right to.
1:26:51 But then I want you to put them in front of your feet one by one
1:26:55 just like I did.
1:26:56 Because they will be a stepping stone to a future you could have
1:27:00 never imagined.
1:27:01 You are important.
1:27:06 You are valued.
1:27:07 You are loved.
1:27:08 You are the only person who holds the power to define who you
1:27:13 are and where you’re going.
1:27:18 And don’t you dare let a boy talk to you in a negative way.
1:27:24 I’m talking to you girls.
1:27:27 I am so honored to have had the past four years to represent the
1:27:37 voices of Brevard County.
1:27:38 It has been a nightmare.
1:27:41 I don’t lie about that.
1:27:43 An absolute nightmare.
1:27:46 It has been a struggle to come to work and sit beside people who
1:27:50 shake their hands, break bread with, go to dinner with.
1:27:53 Some of the people who have done the most disgusting things to
1:27:56 me and my family.
1:27:57 But I am proud.
1:28:01 I am so damn proud of the woman that I am.
1:28:07 And for people who have asked me over the past two months, we’re
1:28:10 so scared.
1:28:11 Where are you going?
1:28:12 We don’t want you to leave.
1:28:13 Trust me.
1:28:14 I ain’t going anywhere.
1:28:15 I’m just going somewhere they can’t turn my microphone off.
1:28:18 I will leave with this message.
1:28:29 I will absolutely be back.
1:28:35 I will not relent.
1:28:36 When you make up stories about our children and our teachers,
1:28:45 you will see me and you will hear me.
1:28:50 It is unacceptable.
1:28:53 It is a disgrace.
1:28:56 And you know what you did.
1:29:02 Thank you, Brevard County.
1:29:04 I love you.
1:29:05 Thank you.
1:29:06 Okay, any other board member reports or discussion?
1:29:18 Hearing none.
1:29:19 I’m going to take a moment just for a second because I know Ms.
1:29:22 Jenkins is still in the room and she’s listening.
1:29:23 And I just want to say a couple things.
1:29:25 Number one, what people have done to you is not acceptable.
1:29:28 Should have never happened.
1:29:29 Guess what?
1:29:30 It happens to me too.
1:29:31 It does.
1:29:32 It happens to all of us.
1:29:33 And we’ve got to get to a place in society where that is not the
1:29:37 norm.
1:29:37 Where we don’t tolerate the attacks, the online attacks, the
1:29:41 posts, the nonsense that happens.
1:29:42 And so for that, I’m sorry that you’ve endured that.
1:29:45 I really am.
1:29:46 I thought a lot about what I was going to say at your last board
1:29:49 meeting.
1:29:49 And I thought a lot about, you know, when I got into – when I
1:29:51 was elected.
1:29:52 Like, what am I going to bring to this board?
1:29:53 And I really wanted to bring a voice of unity to the board.
1:29:56 I wanted to try to tie us together, which is why my first act
1:29:59 when I became chair was to sit us down and try to do that.
1:30:03 I will say this.
1:30:05 There are people in life who exemplify love, joy, happiness,
1:30:09 forgiveness.
1:30:10 And I’m sad that that’s not – those are not traits that I can
1:30:14 equate to you, Ms. Jenkins, and what you have going on.
1:30:17 I hope one day, I pray one day, that those are traits that you
1:30:21 have inside of you as well.
1:30:23 I wish you the very best in whatever endeavors you go on to do.
1:30:27 I am – yeah.
1:30:29 And hopefully, you’ll be able to make some friends along the way.
1:30:32 All right.
1:30:33 Hearing no further business, this meeting is adjourned.
1:30:35 The meeting is adjourned.
1:30:36 .
1:31:35 Thank you.